Remembering the PI in AAPI

Every May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. The occasion was created to celebrate both Asian and Pacific diasporas — but the “PI” in “AAPI” is often erased despite the term’s intention to include them. As the month comes to an end, Kristian Fanene Schmidt, the executive director and co-founder of the Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK), joins us to talk about how Pacific Islander communities are represented in entertainment — and how their diverse cultures and identities expand far beyond Western labels.

In headlines: The founder of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the January 6th riots, the Supreme Court ruled to limit the EPA’s application of the Clean Water Act, and the official Barbie Movie Soundtrack dropped just in time for summer.

Plus, V Spehar, host of Under The Desk News on TikTok and the podcast V Interesting, joins us to share a headline they’ve been following this week.

Show Notes:

• Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti – https://peakpasifika.org/ •

• What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast •

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For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday